skolas



Nov. 3, 1942. A. sKoLAs HEATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 193s- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III". a I

E i NA #2 mama T W 3 M a A'II'TOBNEYJ Patented Nov. 3, 1942 Art Skolas,

per cent to Charles Minn, and Lee A. Horn, Ida Grove, Iowa,

jointly Ida Grove, Iowa, assig'nor of thirty L. Horn, Minneapolis,

Application September 23, 1938, Serial No. 221,357

(01. lea-ecu) 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to an oil heating apparatus having an oil burner for the clean and efficient combustion ofrelatively low volatile, low-grade fuel oils, and particularly to a fluid heater having such a burner. I

I have discovered that low volatile, low-grade oils may be burned efficiently and cleanly in an apparatus which has no moving partsfiand it is therefore an object of the present invention-to provide a heating apparatus free of moving parts for the clean and efiicient combustion ofrelatively low volatile, low grade fueleils.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tank heater having; a burner free of moving parts for the clean and efficient combustion of low volatile, low-grade fuel oils.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a burner having provision for ready clean- .mg and servicing.

for the efficient It is a further object of the invention to provide a down flame burner in combination with a heat exchanger which is adapted to be entirely sumberged in the liquid of a tank, so as to give a maximum heat exchange between the device and the liquid in which it is submerged.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a stock tank heater capable of floating upon the surface of the water in the tank and capable of heating the water in the surface of the tank so as to prevent the for mation of ice and for maintaining the water at a temperature suitable for stock watering- It is a further object of the invention to PTO. vide a floating stock tank heater and a mounting for adjustably holding the heater in a floating position in the tank. regardless of irregularities in inclination of the tank g It is a further object of the invention to provide a mounting which will permit the heating unit to rise and fall with the liquid in which it is submerged,

It is also an object 'of the invention to provide a stock tankheater and a swivel mounting for holding the heater in a stock tank, and to provide a heater of a configuration such that it will turn bodil in the wind, all while floating in the water in the tank, so as to agitate the water within the tank and facilitate heating thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a heater with a removable fuel tank for ready refilling, and to provide a heater burner having provision for ready'clean ing without the use of external apparatus.

Other l and further objects of the invention are those inherent in the apparatus described, illustrated and claimed herein.

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawings in which: 1

Figure 1 is an elevational view partly broken away of the fluid heater of the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a partial elevational view partly in section along the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view partly in section along the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary and elevational view showing the fluid heater installed in a tank and utilizing one type of bracket means.

Figure 5 is a similar and elevational view showing another type of bracket.

Figure 6 is an enlarged View partly in section of a portion of the burner apparatus.

Figure '7 is a sectional view along the line 1-1 ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a partial elevational view of the end wall of the tank in the direction of arrows 8-8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is asectional view along the lines 9-9 of Figure l. V

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view, partly in sectionshowing a modified form of tank mounting.

The fluid heater of the present invention is a unitary construction of such configuration and weight that it will float upon the fluid which it is to heat. The device is illustrated in Figure l and consists of a burner unit generally designated it, a heat exchanger generally designated ti] and a stack section generally designated 10. The heat exchanger Ml consists of two vertical tubes at and 42 which are joined at their lower ends by a horizontal tube 43. These sections are preferably of steel pipe about six to eight inches in diameter and are welded along the joints t4 and 15 so as to produce a water-tight and therefore buoyant unit. At about the center of pipe section 63 there is formed a bracket generally designated 66 which is clearly shown in Figure 9. Bracket d6 consists of a strap 41 which encircles pipe section 43, which has mounted thereon a pair of arms 48. These meet and are formed with horizontal lugs 49 which are apertured as shown at 50 to receive the vertical portion of a mounting bracket as hereafter explained. The strap 41 is preferably welded to the pipe section 43' and brackets 48 are welded to the strap 4'! as shown at 51. 7

At the upper end of tube 42 there is mounted a stack Ill which is removably attached to the heat exchanger by means of a collar generally designated 12. The collar has a downwardly extending flange I3 and an upwardly extending nipple 14 which receives stack III. The latter is preferably of smaller diameter than the tube section 72 and extends upwardly about four feet or more depending upon the stack draft desired.

Between pipe section M and 42 there is mounted a bracket generally designated 80 having downwardly extending portions 8| which are welded to the pipe sections M and 42. The bracket carries a pair of upstanding lugs 82--82 upon which a fuel tank 83 is positioned. The fuel tank is not held in place except by its own weight and can therefore readily be removed as pointed out hereinafter. Tank 83 is provided with a filler opening which is normally closed by cap 84.

The oil burner portion of the heater is positioned in pipe section 4| and consists of an inner cylindrical vaporization and ignition sleeve II having a diameter such that there is a space I2 between it and the pipe section 4I. At the upper end of the inner cylindrical sleeve there is a ring I3 and near the lower end another ring I4. In the annular space between cylinder II, tube 4| and between rings I3 and I4 there is an insulation filler I! such as magnesia, asbestos or rock wool.

The oil feed to the burner is by way of tube which extends from the bottom of oil tank 83 laterally and downwardly to valve 2'I. The

valve has an operating handle 22 and an outlet nozzle 23. It will be noted that the nozzle has a reduced end 24 which fits into a fitting 25. The fitting has a conical seat 26 on its upper surface which receives a similar conical face on the valve nozzle 23. The nozzle and fitting are otherwise unconnected and the entire assembly constituting tank 83, tube 20 and valve 2I may be removed from the burner unit for refilling of the tank whenever necessary. This provision precludes spilling of oil into the liquid contents of the tank in which the heater is used.

From fitting there extends downwardly an oil feed line 2! which traverses the insulation II. The tube 2! is located in the insulation so that it traverses a region of substantially constant temperature when the burner is in operation. Stated another way, when the burner is in operation there is a substantially constant temperature in the insulation from the tube 21 enters the insulation I! to the point at the bottom of the insulation fill where the tube 27 joins cross-pipe 28. The position of tube 21 is selected so that this temperature adequately preheats the oil but does not cause any charring or carbon precipitation. 1

The lower end of tube 21 is connected to a cross-feed pipe 28 which extends diametrically across the inner cylindrical member I I and thence through the outer pipe 4|. The outer end of pipe 28 is provided with a cap 29 to which there is attached rod 30 as clearly shown in Figure 6. The rod 30 is of somewhat smaller diameter than the inner diameter of tube 28 and therefore provides an annular passage through which oil may flow. Rod 30 is threaded into cap 29 but is pre vented from rotating by a braze weld to the cap so that as cap 29 is turned rod 38 is also turned. At the right end of rod 30, as shown in Figures 2 and 6 there is a flattened portion 3I which is of sufiicient width to scrape against the inner surface of tube 28. The flattened end 3I is also shown in Figure 7. The flattened portion 3| serves not only to position the rod 30 centrally within the tube 28 but also to scrape away any the point at which carbon which may be formed on the inner surface of tube 28 during operation of the burner. This is accomplished by simultaneously rotating and withdrawing rod 38. The rod 3|] also serves to enhance the vaporizin action in the cross pipe 28 by forcing all of the oil to travel through the annular space between the rod 38 and the inner surface of pipe 28. As an example, where pipe 28 has an inside diameter of 1% inch, rod 30 has a diameter of about inch. Thus all of the oil is forced into an annular space having a thickness of /64 inch. The thin film of oil thus formed is quickly and uniformly heated and is readily vaporized. It is understood that this specific example is not a limitation but is merely illustrative.

At the point where tube 28 crosses the axis of sleeve II there is provided a T 32 which supports an upwardly extending nozzle tube 33. The tube 33 is provided with a cap 34 at its upper end immediately below which there are a plu rality of orifices 35, as clearly shown in Figure 6. If desired the nozzles may be directed upwardly, or toward the air flowing downwardly through the combustion chamber. By thus directing the fuel flow against the incoming air, adequate mixing of the air and fuel is assured. The cap 34 may be removed merely by lifting it from tube 33 and when removed the upstanding nozzle tube 33 may be cleaned by the rod 38 in the same way that rod 30 is used to clean cross-pipe 28.

The upper end of tube 4| is provided with a collar generally designated 98 which is similar to that shown at 12 on tube section 42. The collar has a downwardly extending flange BI and an upwardly extending flange 92, the latter of which serves to receive the lower portion of a Wind scoop 95. The wind scoop is easily removable from thimble 90 for lighting of the burner as pointed out hereinafter. At the open end of the wind scoop there is provided a damper generally designated 96, which consists of a vertical rod 91, pivotally mounted on the wind scoop and a valve 99 mounted thereon. The upper end of the rod is formed with a handle 98 by means of which it may be adjusted, and a spring I 88 may be provided on the rod 91 to'restrain its free movement from an adjusted position. The damper 96 is ordinarily opened wide and is only closed when the unit is used in an exceedingly heavy wind.

The entire heater unit has a weight less than the buoyancy provided by heat exchanger 40 and when the oil tank is filled the unit is normally submerged to the level of line I05. As the oil is consumed by the burner the unit rises to about the level I06 which, it will be noted, is slightly above the highest point of pipe 43 of the heat exchanger.

In Figures 4 and 5 there is illustrated means for mounting the heat unit in an open tank such as a stock watering tank. In these figures the tank is illustrated at III! and on the side wall of the tank there is provided a universally adjustable bracket generally designated II 5. Bracket I I5 consists of a U-bar IIB having a clamp screw II I mounted thereon. On opposed faces of the U-bar there are welded side plates I 20 and I2I which are apertured to receive a clamp bolt I22. The bolt is provided with a nut I23 and a turnedover head I24. When the bracket I I5 is in place on the side of a tank the clamp bar I22 is adapted to receive a rod I25 which extends substantially horizontally to a position over the liquid in tank I I0 and then downwardly to the bottom of the tank, as shown at I28. The inclination of bar I25 may be made any amount desired due to the universality of the clamp I I5, and the bar 125' is therefore capable of being mounted on a tank of any shape or inclination. In Figure '5 there is illustrated another type of mounting means for supporting the burner unit. This mounting consists of a vertical rod I30 which is supported by a block of heavy material such as concrete block I3 I. In the mount shown in Figure rod l30"has a plate at its lower end and the lower end of the rod andthe'plate are cast into concrete block l3l'. The block ['31 merely rests upon the. bottom of the tank and is restrained from displacement by its own weight.

The heater unit is mounted upon the vertical section of the rod (I26 of Figure 4, or I30 of Figure 5) and due to the buoyancy of theuni't, it floats upon the water or other liquid within the tank. As the liquid rises or falls the heater unit is free to move up or down upon the vertical sec-' tion of the supporting rod and therefore the heat exchanger All is constantly maintained near the surface of the liquid. At the same time the heater unit is free to rotate, about the vertical section of the supporting rod. In Figure 4 rotation of about 180 is possible, complete rotation being prevented by horizontal portion [25' of the supporting arm. In Figure 5 the heater unit may rotate freely aroundverti'cal rod I39.

As shown in Figure 1 it will be seen that the lateral projected area to the right ofsupporting bracket 16 is greater than the lateral projecting area to the left of bracket 46. In this 'COIlIlEC- tion it is borne in mind that stack extends upwardly for a considerable distance and all of the stack area is thus presented to side .wind.

is thereafter maintained throughout the continued operation of the burner.

As the tube 33 and cross-pipe 28 are warmed vaporization begins and a clean flame is established within cylinder ll. After but a few minutes of operation cylinder H is brought up to operating temperature, which is a temperature somewhat above the flash point of relatively lowgrade fuel oil such as Number 3 furnace oil. The temperature of cylinder H varies with the rate of operation but itsminimurn temperature is always suiflciently high to flash any oil projected against it, and except when operating at a very low rate, cylinder II is very hot, that is, it is much above ignition temperature of the oil. Cylinder H is preferably made of cast iron or heatresistant steel for ordinary black iron sheet soon burns through due to the high temperature at which the cylinder operates.

The temperature attained by cylinder l l is not greatly affected by ambient temperature of outside air or the temperatureof the liquid surrounding the unit-if it is submerged, since the insulation fill I! serves to allow cylinder ll to establish practically the same operating temperature regardless of external influences; As a consequence the burner operates as well in zero weather with the unit submerged in ice in a stock watering tank as under milder conditions.

After a few minutes of operation a temperature gradient is established through the insulation fill l1 and due to the fact that tube 21 traverses an isothermal layer of the fill H, the fuel Thus when a side wind strikes the unit it will tend to point around the vertical supporting rod and will tend to bring the openend of wind scoop '95 directly into the wind as shown in Figure 4 or 5. The on-rush of air into wind scoop 95tends to aid the flow of products of combustion through the apparatus, although as pointed out below under the explanation of operation of the device, the apparatus operates entirely satisfactorily in the absence of any breeze whatever. Rotary movement of the'unit also facilitates heat trans fer to the water or liquid in which the unit is floated.

Operation In order to start the oil burner unit of the pres ent invention the wind scoop 951s removed and a small strip of cloth or bit of waste is tied around vertical nozzle tube 33. Valve 2| is then opened by rotating handle 22 and oil flows down through pipe 21 and across pipe 728 upwardly through nozzle tube 33 and finally out of orifices -35, and saturates the cloth or waste. If desired, a permanent asbestos wick may be applied around tube 33. After the cloth, waste or wick is thoroughly saturated with oil it is lighted and if a breeze is blowing wind scoop 95 is replaced and the unit turned into the wind to initiate the down-flow through cylindrical tube I I across the heat exchanger and thenceupwardly through stack It. If no breeze is blowing it is merely necessary to blow a breath or two of air downwardly through the tube I l in order to force the hot products of combustion from the burning oil through the heat exchanger 40 and stack 10. Low-grade oil such as Number 3 furnace oil is used and during this preheating period the flame is smoky. As soon as the stack 10 is filled with the hot products of combustion, it initiates a draft and the downdraft through the cylinder ll oil traversing pipe 21 is always preliminarily heated to a proper point for ready vaporization during operation of the burner regardless of the temperature of the'oil in tank 83. The position of tube 21 in the insulation fill, the area of crosspipe 28 which is exposed to the hot gases, and the outer area of nozzle tube 33 are made such that low-grade substantially non-volatile fuel oil such as Number 3 furnace oil is brought to a temperature which is normally slightly above volatilization temperature by the time the oil reaches orifices 35 and the fuel ejected into the down-flowing air stream through cylinder II is therefore for the most part in vapor form. However any droplets of fuel which may be ejected through orifices 35 are immediately vaporized by contact with the inner surface of cylinder H, which as previously explained operates at an elevated temperature. Cylinder ll thus acts as a vaporization and ignition cylinder.

The hot products of combustion from the burner it flew downwardly out of vaporization and ignition cylinder H into the bot om portion of vertical tube 4! and the direction of the hot gases is abruptly changed to the horizontal directionjwhen the flow is continued through. horizontal tubev 33; The swirl and turbulence producedin the gases by the difference in diameter of tubes H and ll, by the abrupt change of direction at the junction of tubes 4! and 43 and again at. the junction of tubes :13 and 42 greatly serves to enhance the heat transfer to formation of ice in stock tanks or for maintain ing the water in stock tanks at suitable drinking temperatures only the top layer of the water is heated and as the cattle consume the warmed water the unit sinks and thus always maintains the top layer in fluid condition and relatively warm.

This feature of the invention is valuable in that it is unnecessary to heat the entire con tents of a stock tank in order to provide cattle with water at proper temperature.

Where the unit is installed in an open tank exposed to the wind the rotation of the unit about the vertical steadying rod 26 or I30, as the case may be, serves to enhance the heat transfer between the unit and the water in which it is floating.

The length of vertical pipe sections ii and 3-2 may be varied, if desired, so as to bring the pipe cap 29 above the surface of the fluid in which the unit is floated. Variable weights may be added, if desired in order to vary the submergence of the unit and the shape and configuration of the heat exchanger 43 may be varied widely to meet individual conditions. Furthermore, the particular mounting illustrated herein described may be dispensed with and a hinged arm mounting provided so as to provide a vertical movement of the unit about an arcuate path which has a suiiicient vertical component to take care of the rise and fall of the unit with liquid level change. Thus by pivoting an arm atone end to the unit and at the other end to the tank, with the pivot pins horizontal, adequate steadying of the unit is provided. This type of mounting is shown in Figure 10 wherein arm Mi) is pivoted to the tank IN! by means of a hinge it] which has the hinge pin horizontal. The other end of arm MB is hinged to the unit by hinge It: which likewise has the hinge pin horizontal. The unit is thus free to rise and fall about the arcuate path Hi3 defined by the arm Hi and is prevented from tipping by the inflexibility of the arm and hinge pins to twisting movement.

Furthermore, where the unit is used as a space heater insulation fill i! may be dispensed with between cylinder i I and tube M and under simi lar conditions heat exchanger 63 may be greatly extended in view of the fact that the heat exchange to air is less than to water" These and many other obvious modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed.

It is likewise apparent that the present invention may be used as a heater for any liquid 4 body, rather than a stock tank heater specifically, and further that the burner per se is of general application and may be used wherever an oil heater is desired. The burner need not be operated as a down-draft burner since it operates with equal facility in the horizontal or up-draft positions.

I claim as my invention:

1. A self-contained, floating heater unit for liquids in a tank comprising a heat exchanger having a heat exchange surface for contact with the liquid in which the device is floated, a sub-- stantially vertical rod, means formounting said rod in a fixed vertical position relative to said tank, and means for mounting said heater unit for vertical and rotary movement on said rod.

2. A self-contained floating heater unit for stock tanks and the like, comprising a downdraft chamber, an oil burner in said chamber, a lateral flue connected to the chamber near the bottom thereof, and a vertical stack connected to a remote end of the lateral flue, the displacement of the flue being suflicient to buoy up the entire unit when the flue is submerged, means mounting said unit for pivotal movement about a vertical axis and for vertical floating movement relative to said axis, the lateral projected area on one side of said mounting axis means being less than on the other side of said mounting axis.

3. A self-contained, floating heater unit for liquids in a tank comprising a heat exchanger having a heat exchange surface for contact with the liquid in which the device is floated, a substantially vertical rod, and means for mounting said heater unit for vertical and rotary movement on said rod, the entire unit being shaped so as to present a larger lateral projected area at one side of said means for mounting than on the other side of said means for mounting, whereby the unit will be turned into the direction of wind blowing across said unit.

i. In combination with a stock-watering tank, a vertical guide rod, a self-contained heater for water in said tank.'comprising a floating unit, means for mounting said unit for vertical movement and for pivotal movement about said rod, an oil burner on the unit, a heat transfer chamber connected to said oil burner to deliver heat therefrom to the water, and a stack connected to said heat transfer unit to deliver the products of combustion above the tank, the heat transfer unit constituting the displacement member buoying up the unit and normally submerged.

5. A floating liquid heater unit for stock tanks and the like, comprising a heat exchange flue for carrying products of combustion under the surface of liquid, a stack connected to one end of said flue, an oil burner connected to the other end of said flue, means for mounting said unit for pivotal movement as it floats, an oil supply tank mounted on said unit, the shape and configuration of said unit being such that a larger lateral projected area is presented at one side 01' said means for mounting than at the other side, whereby the entire unit pivots with the wind as it floats, and an air scoop mounted on the unit in a direction toward the Wind when the unit is pivoted into the wind for delivering air to said burner.

6. A floating liquid heater unit for stock tanks and the like, comprising a heat exchange flue for carryingproducts of combustion under the surface of liquid, a stack connected to one end of said flue, an oil burner connected to the other end of said flue; means for mounting said unit for pivotal movement as it floats, an oil supply tank mounted on said unit, the shape and configuration of said unit being such that a larger lateral projected area is presented at one side of said means for mounting than at the other side, whereby the entire unit pivots with the wind as it floats, an air scoop mounted on the unit in a direction toward the wind when the unit is pivoted into the wind for delivering air to said burner, and a damper for regulating the air taken by said air scoop.

. ART SKOLAS.

- I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECXTIONF Patent No. 2, 500,981. I November 5, 191m.

ART SKOLAS.

t It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above nuinbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, first column, line 55, 01" "smnberged" read--submerged-; page 5, first column, line 58, for "point" read --pivot--; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinJthat the same may conform to the recora of the case in the Patent Office. A

Signed and sealed this 19th day of January, A.'D- 19m,

v A Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

